ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Monday said that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was formulating new protocols for issuance of visas due to which it had temporarily ban issuance of new visas to citizens of about 14 countries, including Pakistan.

In a statement on Monday, the foreign minister stated that he held a meeting with UAE Minister of State Reem Al Hashimy on the sidelines of the 47th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) in Niamey, Niger, and took up the issue of temporary ban on issuance of the visas.

"It appeared that the UAE is formulating new protocols for the issuance of visas and [for the purpose] it has temporarily ban issuance of new visas to citizens of 13 to 14 countries, including Pakistan," Qureshi said.

However, he added that the ban was not applicable on those who were already holding the UAE visas.

"We enjoy excellent and strong relations with the brotherly country of UAE," he asserted, while dispelling all the speculations as 'inappropriate'.

Earlier, media reports claimed that the UAE had stopped issuing visas to around 13 countries including Pakistan on 'security concerns'.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020